community in California

Honey bee forage in Whitehawk, California

Estimated forage here is better than about 77% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in summer (99th percentile) and lowest in spring (57th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.3 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years).

When is the honey flow in Whitehawk?

  • First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
  • Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 15, peaking late May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, snowberry)
  • Season ends: Oct 15
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Whitehawk, from what grows within flight range (about 3.7 miles) and when it blooms here. Dates are the model's estimate for a typical year; the spring index for this spot falls on May 11.

What the honey is made of

  • Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), snowberry; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
  • Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, snowberry, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
  • Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
  • Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, snowberry, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months

Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.

Bee crops within flight range

  • Alfalfa: about 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi SE, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)

From USDA's crop maps for 2021–2025; fields rotate, so a crop counts by how often it was grown. Listing a field says nothing about its owner.

The land and water around Whitehawk

Mostly: Mediterranean California Mesic Mixed Conifer Forest and Woodland; Mediterranean California Dry-Mesic Mixed Conifer Forest and Woodland; Mediterranean California Red Fir Forest.

Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.1 mi NE; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.12 mi NE.

How Whitehawk ranks

Against random land inOverallSpringSummerFall
Continental US81st84th77th70th
California77th57th99th96th
Sierra Nevada97th75th97th98th

Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.

About 63% of the land here is scored with national averages for its vegetation type rather than measured plant cover, so the wild-plant part of this estimate is rougher than the crop part.

The national forage map around Whitehawk: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.

Nearby

Valley Ranch 1 mi · Clio 2 mi · C-Road 3 mi · Gold Mountain 3 mi · Mabie 4 mi · Blairsden 5 mi

All towns in California · National map · How the scoring works

An estimate from public maps (USDA crop maps 2021–2025 averaged, LANDFIRE vegetation), not a survey of the ground. Maps can't see garden plantings, understory density, other beekeepers' hives, or this year's weather. The point is the Census Bureau's published center of Whitehawk (39.7206, -120.5536); a yard a mile or two away can differ, so check your own spot. The FEMA flood map was not checked for this page. Benchmark 2026.5, built 2026-10-19. How this works · All sources.